P.S. Burn This Letter Please

By: Lisa Steinberg

Some collectibles are worth a million dollars and some end up being a separate kind of treasure that can never be cashed in. In the case of the latter, directors Michael Seligman and Jennifer Tiexiera have a full blown treasure trove in P.S. Burn This Letter Please that is worth more than anyone ever could put a price tag on.

In 2014 a box of letters was discovered in a Los Angeles storage unit that ended up being simply invaluable. Seligman and Tiexiera took the letters written to a radio DJ named Reno that ranged from the late 1950s and early 60s and sought out the men who penned them, as well as the men they were written about – all of whom were devoted to the art of female impersonation. From this a sublime and nostalgic documentary that details and chronicles the oral history of the New York gay life during this time period emerged. 

The letters speak of a period where as much of a jubilant time was spent in clubs drinking and dancing the nights of euphoria away dolled up in glitz and glam, it also focuses on the tumultuous and often dangerous times where gay men and lesbians were treated despicably both by their families and the letter of the law – where their diaries were looked upon as shamefulness by those who knew them and destroyed upon their deaths. Freedom wasn’t for all and if you dared to show your spirit you could be brutally attacked.

Detailing the nostalgia and highlights are interviewees in their 80s and 90s who regale with tales of growing up and how their sexual identities became molded. These stories are wrought in stunning depictions of the highlights of the drag queen scene and are also inter-spliced with videos and photos that paint a brilliant emotional tapestry coupled with voiceover excerpts from the actual letters that Reno received. These letters include hot gossip, charming affectations and terminology from the time period that are colorful and share a window into a transforming world.

All of the stories, letters and vibrant visuals build with tenderness and panache which weaves a bright lasting lingering light. P.S. Burn This Letter Please shares how the past has brought us forward in acceptance and artistry. Watch in wonder and awe as the New York drag scene becomes the show-stopping and splendor we know today and be regaled by the tales of the sheer beauty, grace and splendor by each interviewee. 

P.S. Burn This Letter Please is now streaming at Outfest LA.